Vitamin "V"

Something very upsetting happened at work recently, and I need to get it off my chest and onto a blog. The medical director came to me one day with a concern regarding one of my nursing staff. It seems as if the nurse had been calling in prescriptions for Vicodin into a pharmacy without doctor approval. They were for her husband, who had some back pain issues.

Now first of all, only providers with an appropriate license can prescribe medications, let alone narcotics (like you're stupid...geesh sorry). These prescriptions were called in under a provider's name who wasn't even physically there in the clinic on the days in question. There was no documentation as to whether the pharmacy requested the refill, or if the patient called wanting the refill, or of even someone calling it in. Worst of all, the chart was found out of file and hidden under the sink of the nursing station where that nurse was stationed.

I was crushed. She was a friend of mine and we've worked together at the clinic for a long time now. I couldn't believe that she could have done that. I asked the medical director if I could go over the chart with a fine tooth comb, and interview the pharmacies myself. She gave me time to do that. I looked for any way for this not to be true-maybe the pharmacies had incorrect records, maybe the chart was missing some documentation (I scoured the medical records department for hours for loose shingles), but found nothing else but everything pointing right back to my friend. I was so sad.

The penalty for such an act is immediate termination and reporting to the police. The HR director and myself confronted her, and she readily confessed. Wow. Why?? Were the pills for her husband? Were they for her? Either way she needs help. After I escourted her out of the building, and took back her badge, I hugged her and we both cried. One stupid mistake and now her life is ruined.

I guess I've learned that you think you may know someone, but you never truly know their soul.